Valve cover RTV half moons set.

[Steve]

I like Steves suggestion of the cover without the gasket...makes everything settle nicely..well played Steve. This , of course, sparks my inventive mind off and was wondering what you would think of just setting a heavier piece os steel that has a flat factory edge over the half moons and not putting the cover on. Just let the steel settle them in and then let them sit overnight???

Thanks.

Actually, just about anything that will clamp them in place should work, regardless of "softness".
If you have the material, just something that will bridge across the half-moon and simulate the cam cover will work just fine.

It might be easier, though to just put the cover on, rather than try to balance some random weights on an angled surface.

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[chuck hahn]

Yeah i agree Stve. I wasthinking that for mwhatever reason..being getting the cover over the cam gears or somethingb else..Im always seem to hit the sides and would be worried about knowking the moons out or loosening them again..Thats what i was think about the steel stock layed across the tops.

[Steve]

If you had something like the locks on the rear sprocket (you know, the C-shaped ones that span two bolts) that were sized to be held down by the two outermost cam cover bolts and would apply some hold-down pressure to the half moons, that would work.

If you have a junk cover, just cut the four ends off so each of them is still held to the head by two bolts. Same idea, just costs more.

Personally, I have never had any problems knocking the half-moons out of place when installing the cam cover.
It is more of a hassle on the 750s and 850s to get the cover over that idler sprocket.

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[chuck hahn]

Yup...its my 77 750 thats the pain...seems all my 1000s have a little bit more space between the frame and cover.